VASA Fitness, one of the nation’s high-value, low-price fitness club operators, announced the appointment of Chris Tarrant as Chief Growth Officer. A longtime VASA board member, Tarrant brings more than 30 years of experience leading market planning, real estate, design, construction, and development initiatives for some of the world’s most respected consumer brands. His appointment marks an important step in strengthening VASA’s leadership as the company continues to grow and expand nationally.
In his role as Chief Growth Officer, Tarrant will lead VASA’s Real Estate and Development teams, partnering closely across the organization to support continued expansion and advance the company’s long-term growth strategy. His deep expertise in site selection, market planning, construction oversight, and scalable development will be critical to ensuring VASA grows consistently and efficiently across markets.
Chris is a visionary leader with more than three decades of experience shaping growth strategies for iconic, multi-unit brands, including McDonald’s, Krispy Kreme, Panera Bread, and Starbucks, where he helped lead large-scale national expansion and market leadership. Most recently, Chris served as Chief Development Officer at Sweetgreen, leading the company’s real estate, design, and development initiatives and scaling the brand nationally while advancing sustainable design and operational efficiency aligned with its mission and values.
At VASA, Chris brings a proven ability to balance ambitious growth with operational rigor, helping the company expand thoughtfully while preserving the high-quality club experiences members expect. A recognized leader in his field, Chris is also passionate about mentoring future leaders and fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and excellence.
“Chris brings a rare combination of strategic vision, operational rigor, and hands-on development expertise,” said Rich Nelsen, Chief Executive Officer of VASA Fitness. “Having already served as a trusted board member, he knows our business and culture well. As Chief Growth Officer, his leadership will be instrumental as we continue to expand into new markets and build a strong, sustainable foundation for VASA’s next phase of growth.”
